Apparatus for converting cast-iron



' L. IANKE.

APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING CAST IRON.

Patented Feb 5,1889.

(NoModeL) WITNE LEOPOLI) IANKE, 0F LOUISVILLE KENTUCKY.

APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING CAST-dRON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 397,365, dated February 5, 1889.

- Application tiled November 19, 1887. Serial No. 255,628. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEoPoLn IANKE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Converting Cast-Iron; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1. is a sectional elevation of my improved converter for apparatus for converting cast-iron. Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 0!: 0c of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof.

This invention relates to certain improvements in converter-tronghs for refining cast iron; and to this end it consists of the detailed construction and combination of parts, sub stantially as hereinafter set .l'orth and claimed.

In carrying out my invention I employ a converter, R, to which is connected the pipe which supplies superheated steam to the eupola by suitable connection, but which latter forms no part of my invention. This coin verter consists of a trough, S, which is sup ported at one end upon pivoted trunnions or bearings T in the standards U. The other or free end of the trough is supported between uprights or standards V V in such manner that it maybe readily raised or lowered to assume any desired angle. The mechanism shown for effecting this result consists of a toothed rack, W, fixed in one of the standards and adapted to engage a pinion, i,journale1.l in the side of the convcrtcr-trough; The pin ion is provided with a crank. and handle, by means of which it may be readilyrevolved, and the free end of the converter thus be raised or lowered, as desired. A'ltm. such adjustment of the converter the pinion is locked against turning, it may bc,by the insertion of a key or pin, Y, into the side of the trough between the teeth of the pinion, or by any other suitable means. It will be understood, however, that Ido not restrict myself to the details of the construction and arrangement of the parts for effecting the vertical adjustment of the outer end of the trough or runway, as it is obvious other means may be employed for this purpose without materially departing from the spirit of my invention.

In the bottom of the converter-trough is arranged a steanrpipe, Z, which in. practice is connected to the superheated steam-pipe, above referred to, and has a blow-off cock, (4. Above the pipe Z is arranged the series of uniform steps or platforms Z), traversing the length of the converter-troughs, so that the molten metal as it is received into the trough at its upper end will descend this series of steps or cascades. The steam-pipe Z is provided with upwardly-exteiiding branch pipes or arms (Z, which extend through said stepsone at each riser of. a stepin such a manner that jets of superheated steam. will be injected vertically across the series of platforms. and into the molten. metal as it .tlows from one to another of the platforms or steps.

Each upward ly-extending or vertical branch pipe or arm, (1, stops a short distance below the next higher step and a short distance above the next lower step, in order to inject the jets of steam into the thin stream of molten. metal just where it passes or bridges the points of intersection between the steps, thereby etl'ecting the thorough commingling or inter-mixture of the steam-blasts and the molten metal. In this manner it will be seen that the molten metal is subjected during its passage through the OOHVGTtGY-M'Oligll to the action of a series of jets of superheated steam, and that the speed at which. the molten metal. passes through the con.verter trough may be regulated at will by raising or lowering the free end of the couvertentrough, thereby subjecting the metal in its passage through the trough to the action of the superheated steam for a longer or shorter period, as may be desired. The upper end of the hopper is provided with a hopper, 8, adapted to contain such ingredients-as, for instance, finely-powdercd carbcmaceous matter, as charcoal, &c.

as it may be found (ltsirable to mix. with the molten metal before this passes through the cm'iverter.

Having thus descriljmd my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statcs- The apparatus for converting iron or steel, In testimony that I claim the foregoing as consisting of the inclined trough or receiver my own I have hereunto affixed my signature having a series of uniform steps traversing in presence of two Witnesses. its length and a steam-pipe provided with a 5 series of branch pipes or arms rising verti- LEO'IOLD IANKE.

eally through said steps, one at each riser 01: a step, and havin g their discharging ends stop- 'itnesses: ping a short distance below the higher steps ARTHUR L. MORSELL, and a short distance above the lower steps, rEO. E. FRECH.

10 substantially as shown. 

